Black Spot Poison Ivy

These authors report on 5 cases: 4 children who presented with shiny black macules and patches on their skin, with and without evidence of an underlying acute dermatitis, and a fifth child with contact dermatitis suggestive of plant etiology and black discoloration on his clothing. In two cases, the parents of the children were concerned about the possibility of melanoma until dermatologists made the diagnosis of acute dermatitis from poison ivy. These patients responded well to topical treatment, and their parents were reassured by the diagnosis.